Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater

ABSTRACT

A flow control for a continuous-flow water heater is used to control the flow of gas to a burner ( 24 ) of a heat exchanger ( 29 ) as a function of the passage of water, in which only one operating element has to be actuated. The reduction in apertures through the housing wall of the flow control, reduces the risk of leaks. Furthermore, manufacturing expenditure is minimized. To this end, in addition to the operating element ( 8 ), a switching element ( 9 ) is rotatably mounted on a spindle ( 7 ) projecting from the water-carrying housing ( 5 ), wherein a rotary movement of the operating element ( 8 ) can be transmitted via drivers ( 10; 11 ) to the switching element ( 9 ), which also has a switching contour ( 13 ) by means of which a fixedly arranged microswitch ( 14 ) can be actuated, by means of which an electronic ignition and monitoring device ( 3 ) can be electrically actuated, by means of which gas flow to the burner can be shut off.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This U.S. CIP application claims priority of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/376,008, filed Oct. 24, 2014, which is a U.S.C. 371 of U.S. National Phase application No. PCT/EP2013/000500, filed Feb. 21, 2013, which claims the benefit of prior German Application No.: 10 2012 003 912.3, filed Feb. 28, 2012. The entire contents of the above-mentioned patent applications are incorporated by reference as part of the disclosure of this U.S. application.

DESCRIPTION

Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to the preamble of the first claim.

PRIOR ART

Flow controls of this type for continuous-flow water heaters are available in a very wide range of designs. They serve to control the gas flow rate to a burner of a heat exchanger as a function of the passage of water.

For example, a gas valve for a burner-heated water heater with a main gas valve on the inlet side connected to a flow meter is described in DE 198 25 046 A1, a German patent application open to public inspection. A water deficiency valve, which is connected to the flow meter, is located downstream of the main gas valve. A thermostatically controlled valve connected to an evaluation circuit is in turn located downstream of the water deficiency valve. When the water heater is in operation, both the water flow rate and the temperature of the hot water flowing off can be set by means of two operating elements.

A gas-heated continuous-flow water heater with a heat exchanger heated by a burner is known from EP 1 170 549 A2. A water valve in a water switch is located upstream of the heat exchanger and gas valves, one of which is controlled by a water switch and another by a gas pressure-controlled servo valve, are located upstream of the heat exchanger on the gas side. Whereas an adjusting valve downstream of the gas valve on the gas side is actuated by a first handle and the gas valve is controlled by the servo valve, the water valve can be actuated by a second handle.

A gas-heated continuous-flow water heater, which is described in DE 100 30 118 A1, a patent application open to public inspection, has a similar structure. This device also has two handles for operating the continuous-flow water heater.

A water heater, which has two operating elements, in this embodiment a control button and an ignition button, is also described in the Austrian patent specification, AT 406 611 B.

A disadvantage common to these flow controls is that in order to switch the continuous-flow water heater on and off or to set the required operating parameters, such as water temperature and water quantity, two separate operating elements are required for which corresponding apertures in the outer wall of the flow control must be made and therefore sealed as well of course. Furthermore, this makes the structure of the device and its operation by the user more complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention addresses the problem of ensuring that a flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to the preamble of the first claim can be operated easily and in a user-friendly manner by reducing to just one the number of operating elements that need be actuated. At the same time, the risk of leaks occurring is reduced because of the reduction in the number of apertures through the housing wall of the flow control. Furthermore, manufacturing costs are to be minimised.

The problem is solved according to the invention in that, in addition to the operating element, a switching element is rotatably mounted on the spindle projecting from the water-carrying housing, wherein a rotary movement of the operating element can be transmitted to the switching element by means of a driver. This switching element has in addition a switching contour by means of which a fixedly arranged microswitch can be actuated. An electronic ignition and monitoring device by means of which the gas flow to the burner can be shut off by means of an electrically actuated valve can be electrically actuated by means of this microswitch.

A solution was therefore found which eliminated the disadvantages in the prior art referred to above. The manual activation of only a single operating element makes it possible to manually shut down the continuous-flow water heater as well as to adjust the water flow rate to a preset value corresponding to the supply conditions, or to manually compensate for fluctuations in the cold water temperature.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

An advantageous embodiment of the flow control for reducing manufacturing costs even further has proved to be a flow control in which the valve serving to shut off 15 the gas flow by means of the operating element is formed by the servo valve forming part of the electronic ignition and monitoring device.

The rotary movement of the operating element can be transmitted simply and safely to the switching element by forming the driver by one or a plurality of ribs 20 located on the operating element and projecting into slots located on the switching element.

In order to ensure operating element and switching element are securely fixed in a longitudinal direction it is advantageous if the switching element is connected to 25 the operating element by locking hooks.

EXECUTION EXAMPLE

The flow control according to the invention for a continuous-flow water heater is explained below in more detail by means of an execution example with the aid of diagrams which show:

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a flow control for a continuous-flow water heater in the switched off state.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are front and top views, respectively, of operating element in the switched off state.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are front and top views, respectively, of operating element in the switched on at maximum water outlet temperature.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are front and top views, respectively, of operating element in the switched on state at minimum water outlet temperature.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the flow control for a continuous-flow water heater from FIG. 1 in the switched off state.

FIGS. 6A-6C are exploded component views of the flow control for a continuous-flow water heater.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the flow control for a continuous-flow water heater in the switched on state.

FIG. 8 is aside view of the flow control for a continuous-flow water heater in the switched on state.

FIG. 9 is a representative schematic showing an action chart for a continuous-flow water heater in the switched on state.

The exemplary flow control according to the invention for a continuous-flow water heater shown in the diagrams serves to control the gas flow rate to a burner of a heat exchanger 29 as a function of the passage of water. In this execution example the burner comprises a pilot burner 25 and a main burner 24.

The flow control comprises:

-   -   a water part 1 controlling the passage of water to the heat         exchanger 29,     -   a gas part 2 controlling the gas flow to the burner 24 as a         function of the passage of water,     -   an electronic ignition and monitoring device 3, 3 a and 3 b.

A regulating valve 19 and a main valve 18 are housed in the gas part 2 in addition to other components which are known to a person skilled in the art and are therefore not explained in more detail here. The main valve 18 of servo valve 22 is actuated by an electronic ignition and monitoring device 3, also known as a so-called automatic firing device, which is connected to the gas part 2 and is also known to a person skilled in the art.

The regulating valve 19 is actuated by a transmission 4, known by U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,807A, incorporated by reference herein, which transmits the movement as a function of the passage of water of a water membrane 20 located in the water part 1 from the interior of the water-carrying housing 5 to the exterior and then from there into the gas-carrying housing 6 of the gas part 2 to the regulating valve 19.

In addition, a Venturi nozzle 21 and a pre-setting element 26, which enables the water flow rate to be set to a preset value corresponding to the supply conditions, are also located in the water-carrying housing 6, in addition to other components which are known to a person skilled in the art and are therefore not explained in more detail either. This pre-setting element 26 serves at the same time as a temperature corrector, i.e. it enables fluctuations in the cold water temperature to be manually compensated.

To enable manual actuation a spindle 7, which is connected to the pre-setting element 26 and to which an operating element 8 is attached, projects from the water-carrying housing 5. In addition to the operating element 8 a switching element 9 is rotatably mounted on the spindle 7 projecting from the water-carrying housing 5, wherein a rotary movement of the operating element 8 can be transmitted by a driver to the switching element 9.

In this execution example the driver is advantageously formed by a plurality of axial ribs 10 which are located on the operating element 8 and extend into axial slots 11 assigned to them and located on the switching element 9. In order to additionally ensure the switching element 9 is fixed in the longitudinal direction of the spindle 7, operating element 8 and switching element 9 have locking hooks 12 and 12 a facing each other which ensure a reliable connection.

The switching element 9 has in addition a switching contour 13 by means of which a microswitch 14 fixedly arranged on the gas-carrying housing 6 in this execution example can be actuated. The microswitch 14 is electrically connected to the electronic ignition and monitoring device 3 and its voltage source 23.

The flow control for a continuous-flow water heater illustrated in the diagrams has the following mode of operation:

FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B and 5 show an embodiment of a flow control according to the invention for a continuous-flow water heater in the switched off state. The operating element 8 is in the off-position. In this position the switching element 9 has been turned until the switching contour 13 has exposed the button 15 of the microswitch 14. The gas supply to the burner is thereby shut off by means of the electronic ignition and monitoring device 3 and the continuous-flow water heater remains switched off whether or not water is drawn off from a water tap downstream of the continuous-flow water heater.

In order to switch on the flow control the operating element 8 must be turned until it is in the possible setting range for adjusting the water flow rate or for manually compensating for fluctuations in the cold water temperature, as shown for example in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 7, 8, and 9.

As soon as water is then drawn from a downstream water tap, the gas inlet to the burner 24 of the heat exchanger 29 is opened by means of the electronic ignition and monitoring device 3 and the gas is ignited. The burner 24 remains in operation until no more water is drawn off. However, the continuous-flow water heater remains ready for operation and can be re-started when water is drawn off again.

In order to switch off the continuous-flow water heater manually the operating element 8 is moved into the off-position through the possible setting range for setting the water flow rate, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B and 5. As already explained in more detail above, the gas supply to the burner 24 is thereby shut off whether or not water is drawn off.

The flow control according to the invention for a continuous-flow water heater is not of course restricted to the execution example depicted. On the contrary, modifications, variations and combinations can be made without departing from the so scope of the invention.

In order to prevent the off-position being inadvertently set when the required water flow rate is to be set or when fluctuations in the cold water temperature are to be manually compensated, it has, for example, proved to be advantageous if the off-position cannot be reached until a snap lug 16 and pin 17 is overcome which indicates the end of the setting range but beyond which the operating element 8 can be turned.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   1. Water part     -   2. Gas part     -   3. Ignition and monitoring device     -   3 a. Spark plug     -   3 b. Ionization sensor     -   4. Transmission     -   5. Water-carrying housing     -   6. Gas-carrying housing     -   7. Spindle     -   8. Operating element     -   9. Switching element     -   10. Rib     -   11. Slot     -   12. Locking hooks     -   12 a. Detent     -   13. Switching contour     -   14. Microswitch     -   15. Button     -   16. Snap Lug     -   17. Pin     -   18. Main valve     -   19. Regulating valve     -   20. Water membrane     -   21. Venturi nozzle     -   22. Servo valve     -   23. Voltage source     -   24. Main burner     -   25. Pilot burner     -   26. Pre-setting element     -   27. Pilot solenoid valve     -   28. By-pass solenoid valve 

What is claimed is:
 1. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater, comprising a water part (1) controlling the passage of water to a heat exchanger (29) wherein the quantity of water can be manually set by an operating element (8) attached to a spindle (7) projecting from the water-carrying housing (5), a gas part (2) with an electronic ignition and monitoring device (3) controlling the gas flow as a function of the passage of water to an atmospheric burner (24), a mechanical transmission (4) which transmits, as a function of the passage of water and a water membrane (20), a steering movement initially from the interior of the water-carrying housing (5) to the exterior and then from there into the gas-carrying housing (6) to a valve controlling the amount of gas, characterised in that a switching element (9) is rotatably mounted on the spindle (7), wherein a rotary movement of the operating element (8) can be transmitted by driver (10; 11) to the switching element (9), and that the switching element (9) has a switching contour (13), by means of which a fixedly arranged microswitch (14) can be actuated which shuts off the gas flow to the burner (24) by means of the electronic ignition and monitoring device (3) and an electrically actuatable valve (22).
 2. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to claim 1, characterised in that the electrically actuatable valve is formed by the servo valve (22) of the electronic ignition and monitoring device (3).
 3. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to claim 1, characterised in that the driver (10; 11) is formed by at least one rib (10) located on the operating element (8) and projecting into slots (11) located on the switching element (9).
 4. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to claim 1, characterised in that the switching element (9) is connected to the operating element (8) by locking hooks (12) and detent (12 a).
 5. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that the driver (10; 11) is formed by at least one rib (10) located on the operating element (8) and projecting into slots (11) located on the switching element (9).
 6. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that the switching element (9) is connected to the operating element (8) by locking hooks (12) and detent (12 a).
 7. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to claim 5, characterised in that the switching element (9) is connected to the operating element (8) by locking hooks (12) and detent (12 a).
 8. Flow control for a continuous-flow water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical transmission (4) transmits the steering movement by a Venturi nozzle (21) housed in the water-carrying housing (5).
 9. A flow control for a continuous-flow water heater comprising: a water part having a fluid circuit for fluid flow of water through the flow control, a rate of water flow regulated by the flow control; a water membrane disposed in the water flow and displaced proportionate to the water flow rate; a gas part having a fluid circuit for fluid flow of gas through the flow control, a rate of gas flow regulated by the flow control; an operating element providing operator control of the water flow rate, the operating element operatively coupled to a switching element, the operating element and switching element supported on a spindle for coupled rotation; a microswitch operatively coupled to the switching element by a switching contour disposed on the switching element, the microswitch controlling the electrical actuation of an electrically-actuated valve; wherein the electrically-actuated valve controls the gas flow rate through the gas part and includes a main valve and a regulating valve; a transmission disposed between the regulating valve in the gas part and the water membrane in the water part providing proportional flow rate control between the water flow through the water part and the gas flow through the gas part.
 10. The flow control of claim 9, further comprising a Venturi nozzle and a pre-setting element located in the water part to set a preset value corresponding to a water flow rate supply condition.
 11. The flow control of claim 9, wherein the operating element is rotatably mounted to the flow control between an off-position and through a range of flow rate control from a minimum water outlet temperature to a maximum outlet temperature, wherein, when the operating element is in an off-position, the microswitch activates the electrically-actuated valve controlling the gas-flow rate to stop gas flow through the flow control.
 12. The flow control of claim 11, wherein the, when the operating element is rotated to a minimum water outlet temperature position, the proportion of water flow rate to gas flow rate through the flow control is maximized; and when the operating element is rotated to a maximum water outlet temperature position, the proportion of water flow rate to gas flow rate through the flow control is minimized. 